Gear Up: Buy used, but don't get burned

It's a fact of life that, if you're a musician, there's a never ending list of instruments, accessories, equipment and gear that you need to buy. While many of your purchases need to be new, you can save a significant amount of money if you can find good, well-maintained, used gear.

That being said, some of the worst purchases I've ever made were, "Too good to pass up." If it's cheap, there may be a reason, and you should know it before you plunk down the cash.

Here are five questions I wish I'd asked before I bought every piece of used gear.

1. How old is it? With a little help from Google, this can be a game changer. You may stumble across a rarity or find a certain model year or era that had serious problems. This can also help you determine where the item was originally manufactured, or if the company was bought/sold before or after the date. All good information if you're trying to get parts or compatible items.
2. How has it been stored and transported? You'll probably have a few follow up questions here, but this will give you an idea as to how the current owner cares for gear, and what the likelihood for significant wear and tear might be.
3. What modifications and repairs has it had? Some people just can't leave it alone (which can be a good thing), but you definitely want to know what's been altered, replaced or repaired. This question can also reveal an accident or weather incident.
4. Why are you selling it? Again, keep asking this question until you get a few answers. "I just need the money," may be true, but that's usually just the default response. Turn the question around and when they tell you how great it is, you can say, "It does seem like a great deal. Why aren't you keeping it?" Get to the bottom line.
5. Is that the best price you can give me? I'm not about taking advantage of people or being dishonest in any way, but that doesn't mean you can't negotiate the price. Also, as I've said before, see if you have anything the seller may want to trade for. At any rate, get the very best price you can, and don't pay it if it doesn't make sense for your needs and budget.

Again, there are more questions you could ask - feel free to suggest some in the comments - but these should give you a fair view of what you're buying.

And I know that gear is not cars (for the most part, at least!) but there are two more quick things I like to keep in mind. 

"One man's trash is another man's treasure." As I've said before, you can find many a great deal buying from someone who simply doesn't have a use for the item or needs quick cash, but...

"Don't buy someone else's problems." As is often the case with cars, there may be a very good reason that the item is such a good deal, and you may find it out the first time you have to use the thing on stage or in the studio.

Happy shopping!

Gear Up: Getting the most bang, boom and crash, part 2

Part 2 of 2. If you missed Part 1, you can check it out here. 

Buy used.

I’ve always hated to be the first person to put a scratch, mark or dent on something. I think that’s why I’ll never buy a new car off the showroom floor. Especially in the case of drums and cymbals, you’ll end up paying way too much for a cymbal that’s going to be “used” after the first day anyway, so find somebody who has a well-taken-care-of item that you need, and get a good deal.

These days almost all retail stores have a decent collection of used gear that has been traded in (which we’ll talk about in just a second), which means that it’s probably in good condition, and the store may even offer a limited warranty. 

That being said, there are a few things I won’t buy used: sticks, heads and thrones. It’s too easy to abuse those things, and - especially in the case of sticks and heads - new is cheap enough that it’s not worth the savings to get it used. 

Trade for it.

If you’re like me, you have a special pile of gear that you never use, but you just can’t bring yourself to get rid of it. Well, it’s time. If you haven’t used it in practice or a performance in over a year, find somebody who has what you want and offer them a trade. I’m constantly finding things I want online or in stores that somebody bought and then found out that they didn’t like/need/want/use it, and your item might be a perfect fit for a trade. Barter groups are springing up all over the place, so check one out.

Also, as mentioned above, many stores will take your used gear in on trade for new stuff. This is an excellent way to decrease the price of what you need at the same time you’re getting rid of stuff you don’t.

Several years ago I won second place in a solo drumming competition. The prize was a 22” Swish Knocker. I was thrilled! That is, until I took it home and played it. I tried every which way to convince myself that it was a cymbal I was going to use, but six months later it was leaning against the wall in my studio gathering the proverbial (and literal) dust. So when my hardware bag died, I took the Swish into the drum shop and traded it straight across for a new, better bag that has been serving me ever since. 

Be patient.

More times than I care to admit I have purchased something that I needed, “right now,” only to find a better deal pretty shortly thereafter. I was in such a rush that I settled for a bad deal! This goes along with having saved up and done your homework, but if you don’t get “buyer fever,” you can recognize a deal for what it is, and get a good one when the time is right.

Remember the old adage, “Haste makes waste.” And in this case, what you’re wasting is money. 

Here’s the bottom line.

You can get almost anything you need and want if you’re willing to save, research, wait for a bargain, barter and trade. There are many options out there for you. So, go ahead and get more bang, boom and crash for your buck!

Happy shopping!

Gear Up: Getting the most bang, boom and crash for your buck!

Part 1 of 2.

When was the last time you made a significant purchase for your rig? I mean a purchase of at least $100 dollars. I know that for some of you $100 isn’t very much, but for me that’s a major purchase!

Today we’re going to take a look at how to keep your expenses down while you keep up your kit.

Have cash in hand.

This is good advice for buying virtually anything, but it’s especially important if you want to get a good deal on a major purchase. Put simply, money talks. Whether you’re buying new or used, make sure you actually have the ability to make the purchase before you start trying to make a deal. 

Cash also has a sort of magic to it when you’re bargaining, even in a retail establishment. You may find that you can get a better deal when the seller knows that you can pay now and that you’re prepared to walk away if it isn’t a good deal for both parties. (For more about saving and managing money, visit Dave Ramsey’s web page.)

For those of us who are fortunate enough to be making a few dollars playing music, I recommend that you set aside a certain amount (at least 15%) from each gig that will only be used on instruments or related equipment and supplies. If you’re consistent and committed to this, it shouldn’t take long before you’ll have a tidy little pile of cash so that you can make careful, relevant purchases when you need to.

A nice side benefit of having a little cash on hand is that you can take care of an emergency without having to forego paying the light bill. Just last fall I had a microphone die (my Beta 52, so it’s not like I could just go without), and I had the cash on hand to replace it with no hassle. I’ll have to put off that new snare drum for a little longer, but my mic dying could have also been a financial problem. It wasn’t.

Be realistic about your needs and priorities.

Unless you’re Terry Bozzio, you probably don’t need 24 chromatically tuned toms or 44 relative-pitch cymbals - and don’t even think about the gongs, my friends. You may have a dream kit on your mind, but you need to focus on the things that will have the most positive impact on you, your playing and your career right now. 

That being said, I have a long wish list, too, and a lot of it is totally unrelated to what I actually need. But at the top of my list are the things that will improve my sound, make me more versatile (and marketable), and will help me expand where, how often and with whom I’ll be able to play. 

So, while you may really want that shiny new quadruple bass drum pedal with matching soda dispenser, it may be more important to get a solid ride cymbal, hi-hat stand or snare drum. Establish your priorities, and always get the most important things first. 

Know the numbers.

I worked in a retail music store for several years. I was amazed by people who had (or have) absolutely no clue about price. This was especially true of younger players, beginners and their parents. What is the internet for if not for finding prices and values? Can you say “eBay?” 

As with saving up money in advance, you need to know what you can expect to pay for something so that you’ll know a good deal when you see one. It also helps to know the MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price - you should NEVER pay this amount for anything!), the MAP (minimum advertised price, although not all brands/items have one), and the street price (average that you’ll pay for it new). 

If you’re buying used, even if something’s in perfect condition, you should never pay more than about 80% of the new street price. The only exception to this rule is if you can be sure that the warranty is still in effect and you get the original packaging and purchase receipt so that you can get help if you have a problem. Also, some manufacturers will only warranty the product to the original purchaser, meaning that the warranty is voided as soon as you buy it from a private individual.


More next week!

NAMM Show 101

It's January, and you know what that means - it's NAMM Show time!

So, what the heck is the NAMM Show? Do you hear people talking about it, read about it on music websites, or know people who have gone?

First, you need to know what NAMM is. From Wikipedia, "The acronym NAMM originally stood for the National Association of Music Merchants, but has evolved from a national entity representing the interests of music products retailers to an international association including commercial, reseller members, affiliates and manufacturers."

For a few years, while going to college, I worked at a great music store. The owner took all of his top people to the NAMM Show every year. I had no idea what to expect until I got my turn to go in 2004 and 2005, and it completely changed how I view the business side of the music world.

Simply put, the NAMM Show is an event that allows companies that manufacture and sell music gear and other products (wholesalers) to showcase their offerings to resellers or other companies that offer these products to the public (retailers). Why would they need to do that, you ask? Let me give you an example.

The last time I was at the show, there were over 300 different brands (wow!) of drums. As the drum purchaser (or buyer) for the company, I had to decide on which two or three brands we would carry in our store, and, as you can imagine, every one of those companies tried to convince me that their product was the best and easiest to sell.

So how does a retailer decide what to offer their customers? Well, a lot of factors go into this sort of choice. Among other things, they might consider:

• What is already popular? In other words, is this something people want? Spending less marketing dollars can mean more profit. And offering a product that people already know about and want can make the store more popular and lead to sales of other products and accessories.
• What's going to become popular? Especially in the music biz, being first usually means making the most money. Innovative products can be a risk, but purchasers get very good at seeing something great and snapping it up. Again, how fast and easy it is to sell a product is a major consideration.
• How fast can the manufacturer ship? Doesn't matter how great or cheap something is if it takes six months to get there.
• What is the profit margin? Some of the coolest products on the market will never get really popular, because stores have a hard time justifying making little or no profit when they sell them. And as much as the public (you and me, pal) want stuff at the lowest possible prices, retailers have got to make money, or they'll go away.
• What is the quality and durability of the product, and how good is the warranty? Because if you're not happy after you buy it, you're probably not going to be happy with the store, either.

How do the wholesalers convince retailers to buy? It's a very detailed, well thought out and - usually - expensive process. 

The basic tactic is to display products in a booth setting, sort of like shops in a mall, but much smaller and much more compact. There are thousands of booths, and hundreds of thousands of individual products. And each seller goes to great lengths to make their booth seem hip, cool, trendy, flashy or classy, and to demonstrate why their product is so great. 

Another tactic is product demonstrations by somebody famous. For example, you might see (like I did) Will Calhoun at the Sonor Drums booth showing off the new line of snare drums, or Russ Miller giving a lesson example at Yamaha Drums. 

In addition, many companies will host concerts, parties, jams and contests to woo buyers. One such concert I attended was Yamaha's Groove Night 2004. It was an unbelievable show, and I walked out thinking, "Man, I can't believe how many of my favorite players use Yamaha." Score one for the marketing team, because that year we bought over $40,000 in Yamaha products for our store. 

Oh, and another thing? It's called "swag," and I came home with a ton of it both times I went. Swag is free stuff covered with logos of brands and products, and sellers pass it out by the truckload, especially to important buyers. Some common swag items are shirts, hats, stickers, drum keys, heads, lanyards, and in some cases, jackets and real product samples like microphones and cymbals. It's awesome!

Finally, this post would be incomplete with mentioning maybe the best thing about the show - the people you get to meet. Not only your favorite musical celebrities, amazing players and other famous types, but the people who know the most about gear and how to get the best out of it.

In 2005, we made a point of finding the best sounding drums at the show and asking the highest ranking person we could find to tell us how they got such great sound. In addition to discussions about shell materials, hoops, heads and sticks, we got a ton of advice about how to tune heads and treat drums to get world class tone and sound. Again, awesome!

In short, the NAMM Show is the place to see what's new - and everything else - in the music products world. If you ever get the chance to go, don't pass it up.

Happy shopping!

Buying a First Drum Set - Part 3

Know your price range. Know what drums cost. My most expensive kit would cost somewhere in the range of $8,000 to replace, and there are plenty of kits out there that would be even more. That being said,  the kit I have played the most (for just the drums and hardware, no cymbals) was right around $500 new. This will offend 99% of drum makers out there, but if you pay less than about $500 for a "complete" drum set new, you're getting ripped off.

Cymbals are their own world, and we'll get to that in another post, but as a baseline, check this out.

If you're buying new, plan to spend around $1,000 for a set of drums, hardware and cymbals at the entry level. Again, you don't have to buy new. In fact, I strongly recommend that you buy used, if you can, but only if you...

Don't shop alone. Take somebody with you who's got some experience with drums and has your best interests in mind. (If you're my private student, CALL ME. Seriously! I enjoy drum shopping and making a great deal.)

All the other great advice about taking somebody with you comes into play, too. Don't buy the first kit you look at, wait 24 hours, etc.

Feel free to add any words of wisdom in the comments below, and questions are always welcome.

Happy drumming!

Getting drums that fit

As I mentioned in another post, I have a hard time with "standard" size drum kits.* In my world you choose drum sizes based on functionality and sound, not for style or image, and certainly not because a drum maker said they'd be "perfect for any player."

So-called standard sizes (diameters) for a five piece kit are as follows:

• Bass Drum: 22"
• Snare Drum: 14"
• Rack Toms: 12" and 13"
• Floor Tom: 16"

For more information on a what a complete drum kit is, check this great post at www.start-drumming.com.

Here's my big issue: not every player is the same size, but there are some physical and ergonomic rules that need to be followed - not only to ensure proper technique and comfort, but also to prevent injury. 

Consider this - When sitting at the kit with both feet on pedals, the thigh should slope slightly toward the floor from the hip to the knee. The knee should be slightly behind the ankle, but directly over the heel (not to one side or the other). This sitting position puts the shoulders (and thus the elbows, wrists and hands) at a certain height. 

When you put standard sized toms in a correct playing position on top of a standard sized kick (bass drum), the average person simply isn't tall enough to play them without seriously altering their technique, sitting position or playing motion.

To deal with this issue, most young players will either play with incorrect technique or form, or put the drums into an incorrect awkward position, or both. 

Imagine a kid on a bike that's obviously way too big or too small. This is an oversimplification of the problem, but you get the idea.



Bottom line - When considering a set of drums, first set them up so that they're ergonomically correct, then sit at the drums at the height you'd have to be at to play them with good technique. If your thighs are more than a little sloped, they're probably too big.

*As a disclaimer, I actually own and use all of the above sizes, but never in this configuration. I have no problem with 14" snare drums, although I use 13" hats (standard is 14") about 99% of the time.

Buying a First Drum Set - Part 1

The Christmas season is just around the corner, so it's time to talk about getting that first drum set. Before you go on, though, read this post I wrote a while ago.

Buying a drum set is not complicated, but it's worth considering a few things before you drop a bunch of cash. Here are a handful of considerations to get started:

SIZE
Think about the size of the drums and the size of the drummer or drummer to be. "One size fits all" has been the motto of the entry-level drum world for a long time, and it simply isn't true. For example, I'm 6'1" tall, and a standard size drumset (22" bass drum, 12, 13 and 16 inch toms) is pretty hard for me to set up in a comfortable, ergonomically friendly way because it's just too big.

Check out this post for more info about drum size and player size.

Especially if the player is younger or smaller, make sure to get drums that fit. While the sound of the drums will be nominally affected by their size, today's drum makers are making great sounding drums in a variety of sizes.

Imagine a pee-wee football player wearing NFL sized pads, helmet and shoes. The equipment won't protect them, and may actually get them hurt if they go out to play in it.

Developing good technique and enjoying drumming is a lot easier when the drums are set up right and you can get to everything in a natural, easy way.

BUY USED
Consider buying used. Purchasing a new kit can be expensive, but buying used - especially from an individual - is an entirely different story. Once I was able to buy a "bulk lot" of drums and equipment from somebody who was moving and just wanted to get a little quick cash. I paid $225, and as I inventoried and researched the items, what I had purchased was worth well over $1,000. Score!

Online sites such as ksl.com and craigslist.com are great places to shop. I'm a little obsessive about it, but I skim online ads a few times per week, and there's always at least one good deal on a drum kit.

Other sites, like eBay, allow you to list items that are within a certain geographic area, so that you can actually go to pick up the kit (and examine it) after you purchase it. Guitar Center lists used gear on their website, and you can purchase it online and have it shipped to your local store or to your home.

In Part 2 we'll discuss how to get the best value for your dollars, and how to decide what's worth buying.